How Digital Tools Are Helping Brands Reach Chinese Consumers

â€śOur sales are slowing down in Europe, even if we have a great media plan focused on premium media that have been long-time partners â€¦â€ť the senior executive of a famous fashion house said to me during a lunch meeting in Paris. My answer was quite simple: â€śI donâ€™t think your final customers in Europe read French magazines. I believe that your typical client is probably a young woman glued to her smartphone, reading bag reviews on WeChat in Chinese.â€ť

My name is Akim Mousterou, Iâ€™ve been a business consultant specialising in the fashion and luxury industries for more than 10 years.

The fast-evolving Chinese consumers have a strong impact on the luxury industry in both China and abroad. In their daily life, Chinese customers have already incorporated seamless shopping experiences into their lives â€“ more than their European and American counterparts. With a thirst for knowledge, Chinese consumers are becoming more experienced about the topics of design and craftsmanship. When fashion houses are just barely starting to understand millennials on Instagram, most of them are completely â€ślost in translationâ€ť with Chinese millennials on Sina Weibo or WeChat.

For fashion brands, the key for growth is to attract the hyper-connected Chinese customers. The great unsolved mystery is how to be relevant on social media platforms composed of a billion monthly active Chinese users.